CLIENT ONBOARDING SPECIALIST JOB DESCRIPTION

KYC due diligence is not paperwork; it is the gate that determines whether a client relationship is safe to open. The Client Onboarding Specialist owns that gate within banking and capital markets environments, managing the full account-opening process from initial document review through regulatory clearance under frameworks such as BSA, OFAC, Dodd-Frank, and FATCA. Private banking and institutional trading desks depend on this function to meet correspondent banking standards without slowing deal velocity. Few roles demand both the precision of a compliance function and the relationship fluency of a client-facing one.

As the Client Onboarding Specialist, you manage the end-to-end KYC and AML review cycle for new and existing clients across retail, private, or capital markets banking divisions, ensuring every account is fully documented and cleared before trading or service delivery begins. You operate at the intersection of the Line of Business, Credit, Legal, and Operations teams, translating regulatory requirements into a transparent, time-bound onboarding workflow that protects the institution while maintaining a high standard of client experience.

Career Impact: Mastery of BSA, OFAC, and FATCA compliance in a banking environment builds specialized credentials that open doors to senior KYC analyst, compliance officer, and financial crime advisory roles.

Business Impact: When account documentation is incomplete, or screening is delayed, client relationships stall and trading windows close - your work directly determines revenue-readiness for the institutions you support.

Growth Opportunity: Exposure to capital markets products, regulatory change management, and cross-functional stakeholder coordination positions you to expand into broader compliance, risk, or operations leadership tracks.

• Perform basic and enhanced KYC due diligence for new and existing client accounts, including review of constitutional and supporting documentation.
• Conduct name screening against regulatory and watchlist databases to identify adverse findings requiring escalation.
• Review incoming account documentation for completeness and accuracy in accordance with AML program requirements.
• Monitor outstanding documentation submissions and follow up with Relationship Managers to meet account-opening deadlines.
• Provide guidance to Line of Business teams on regulatory onboarding requirements, including Dodd-Frank, FATCA, OFAC, and FINRA obligations.
• Coordinate with Credit, Legal, and Operations to facilitate seamless hand-off once client setup is complete.
• Escalate overdue deferrals and unresolved compliance exceptions to senior staff within defined timeframes.
• Contribute to weekly and monthly status reporting on onboarding pipeline progress for internal stakeholders.

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Business, Legal Studies, or a related field, or equivalent work experience.
• 2 or more years of onboarding, KYC, or AML experience within a banking or financial services environment, with demonstrated attention to regulatory compliance.
• Working knowledge of BSA, OFAC, and US Patriot Act requirements as they apply to client due diligence.
• Demonstrated ability to review and assess legal and compliance documentation accurately under deadline pressure.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple concurrent cases.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to convey compliance requirements clearly to non-specialist stakeholders.
• Proven ability to work cross-functionally with internal teams including Legal, Credit, and Operations.

• Familiarity with Dodd-Frank, FATCA, EMIR, or Canadian Trade Reporting frameworks applicable to capital markets clients.
• Prior experience in private banking, wealth management, or capital markets trading support functions.
• Exposure to institutional client risk rating methodologies or enhanced due diligence processes.
• Experience contributing to process improvement initiatives within a compliance or operations setting.

• KYC case completion rate, measured as the percentage of accounts cleared within the defined onboarding SLA window.
• Deferral aging, tracking the number of overdue documentation cases outstanding beyond the escalation threshold.
• Documentation deficiency rate per case cycle, reflecting thoroughness of initial review against AML policy requirements.
• Screening false-positive escalation ratio, measuring accuracy of adverse-media and watchlist adjudication decisions.
• Stakeholder reporting timeliness, measured by on-time delivery rate of weekly and monthly pipeline status updates.
• Typical tools: Name-screening platforms (commonly World-Check or Factiva); client onboarding systems (commonly NetReveal or equivalent).

• Base Salary Range: $55,000 - $80,000 annually, depending on seniority and market
• Bonus: Annual performance bonus, typically 5-15% of base salary
• Equity: Generally not offered at this level in banking; may vary by institution
• Health Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision coverage; employer contribution standard
• PTO: 15-20 days annually, plus federal holidays
• Common Perks: Professional development support, compliance certification sponsorship, commuter benefits

Figures are estimates based on general US market benchmarks and may be outdated. Adjust based on location, company size, and seniority level.

Employment contingent on successful completion of a background check, which may include credit history review consistent with financial services regulatory standards. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, and local law. Reasonable accommodations are available to individuals with disabilities throughout the application and employment process. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States.

The Client Onboarding Specialist owns the full documentation and screening review process across account opening, maintenance, and periodic review, ensuring KYC and constitutional documents meet regulatory standards. Reporting to operations leadership, this role liaises with Relationship Managers and Marketing Assistants to drive accurate and timely submission of all onboarding documentation.

Key Responsibilities

• Handle the full spectrum of documentation and screening review across onboarding, maintenance, and periodic review.
• Liaise with Marketing Assistants and Relationship Managers on the status of onboarding, periodic review, and maintenance cases.
• Review account opening documentation to ensure completeness, including supporting KYC and constitutional documents for new and existing accounts.
• Perform name screening for individuals and entities using relevant search engines and watchlist databases.
• Communicate documentation deficiencies in compliance with regulatory standards.
• Update data from source documents into the Client Onboarding System.
• Monitor and follow up on outstanding documentation to ensure accurate and timely submission.
• Escalate overdue deferrals on a timely basis.

Required Qualifications

• 2-3 years of experience in private banking or retail banking in a similar capacity.
• Competent in control and risk frameworks within the banking or financial services environment.
• Experience with NetReveal or equivalent name screening platforms preferred.
• Detail-oriented and self-motivated.
• A strong team player with good interpersonal skills.

Embedded within the compliance and operations function, the Client Onboarding Specialist delivers enhanced KYC due diligence and AML program reviews for new and existing clients, ensuring all documentation aligns with BSA and OFAC regulatory requirements. Working closely with cross-functional internal teams, this role shapes continuous process improvement across KYC and AML policies, procedures, and client risk rating frameworks.

Core Functions

• Perform basic and enhanced KYC due diligence for new and existing clients.
• Review incoming documents in accordance with KYC and Anti-Money Laundering program policies.
• Conduct background checks and evaluate negative news related to existing clients and prospects.
• Maintain working knowledge of BSA and OFAC laws and regulations.
• Act as an active risk manager and recognize factors that impact client risk rating and due diligence requirements.
• Work cross-functionally with internal teams to discuss changes or updates to KYC and AML requirements, policy, and procedure.
• Recommend, develop, and implement solutions to support continuous process improvement.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Business, Legal Studies, or a similar discipline.
• Understanding of BSA, US Patriot Act, OFAC, and Dodd-Frank regulatory requirements.
• Knowledge of investment banking products and industry trends.
• Strong organizational and time management skills with exceptional attention to detail.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet challenging deadlines.

Reporting to implementation leadership, the Client Onboarding Specialist leads client training sessions and manages implementation standards from kickoff through post-launch support to ensure successful software adoption. Partnering with setup and support teams, this role serves as the primary client contact throughout the process, exchanging timely updates on priorities, timelines, and issues to deliver measurable dealer satisfaction.

Primary Duties

• Partner with management and the team to determine training needs for internal and external clients.
• Provide guidance and support to clients on business process improvement and best practices during implementation.
• Act as the primary point of contact for clients throughout implementation and post-implementation.
• Follow installation and implementation standards, project plans, and documentation to ensure a high level of success.
• Conduct training sessions with clients as part of the implementation process.
• Exchange routine information with setup, implementation, and support team members on priorities, timelines, and issues.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.
• 1-3 years of experience in a client service or customer service environment.
• Strong client relationship skills with comfort working by phone and independently or within a team.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Proven ability to maintain focus under multiple demands.

Sitting at the intersection of legal operations and client services, the Client Onboarding Specialist builds the data transfer and compliance workflows that move patent and trademark clients from contract execution through handoff to the renewals servicing team. Operating across sales, operations, and legal stakeholders, this role ensures contractual scope, CRS information, and annuity data are captured with precision to support uninterrupted client renewal continuity.

Duties

• Collect, analyze, and transfer patent and trademark data from renewal software programs or outside counsel files, ensuring all mandatory data fields are obtained before transfer to the annuity and renewals department.
• Partner with the operations team to formulate accurate metrics and develop standard operating procedures focused on driving efficiency in the onboarding process.
• Provide feedback on contractual start dates and deadlines, ensuring incoming contracts reflect all previous discussions and agreements on scope of service.
• Collaborate with internal organizations and participate in peer checking of onboarding communications to ensure all customer expectations are met.
• Work with sales, operations, and legal to monitor scope, schedule, and deliverables while adhering to internal and external deadlines.
• Collect all pertinent CRS information following execution of renewal and annuity agreements.
• Provide portal demonstrations and conduct onboarding calls with sales and customers.
• Facilitate seamless transfer of client renewal accounts to the servicing team, managing multiple engagements simultaneously with confidentiality and precision.

Skills & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.
• 2+ years of experience in foreign prosecution or patent annuity-related roles.
• Understanding of U.S. and foreign patent prosecution rules, procedures, and guidelines.
• Working knowledge of patent annuity systems preferred.
• Proficient in Microsoft Word and Excel.
• Attention to detail, accuracy, confidentiality, and analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• Ability to work independently or as part of a team.

A key member of the National Accounts division, the Client Onboarding Specialist leads site launches and ongoing maintenance for multi-unit foodservice clients across a proprietary e-commerce platform, from signed partnership agreement through full deployment. Collaborating across development, content, and procurement teams, this role advances client branding outcomes by building custom site elements, marketing initiatives, and scalable platform improvements that serve evolving client needs.

Functions

• Assist in creating marketing and branding elements for client sites, including banner ads, promotional campaigns, and custom themes aligned with each brand's identity.
• Manage the onboarding and post-launch maintenance process from signed partnership agreement to full site launch, ensuring a satisfying user experience.
• Maintain client sites, marketing elements, and catalogs as client needs evolve, including custom site elements, order guides, project builders, and specialized pages.
• Coordinate user account information and hierarchy setup, and troubleshoot platform issues as they arise.
• Collaborate with the development team to improve the platform and implement new functionality, including submission of bugs and impediments.
• Assist in the ideation and creation of client marketing initiatives, including email campaigns and marketing collateral, and participate in external client conversations as opportunities arise.

Requirements

• 2+ years of experience in a marketing or project management role.
• Knowledge of design and marketing principles with a demonstrated passion for creative work.
• Good at Adobe Photoshop suite and MS Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Solid analytical and problem-solving skills, and emotional intelligence.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to explain technical concepts simply.
• Adapt to change and manage multiple deadlines independently or within a team.
• Business proficiency in English is required.

Seamless client setup across Capital Markets depends on the Client Onboarding Specialist, who coordinates documentation, regulatory adherence, and cross-functional collaboration from account initiation through final account opening to ensure clients are fully ready to trade. Based within the operations and Line of Business support structure, this role refines the front-to-back onboarding process by guiding teams through Dodd-Frank, FATCA, EMIR, and FINRA requirements while contributing to weekly and monthly stakeholder reporting.

Accountabilities

• Coordinate and facilitate client requests across Capital Markets, serving as a centralized point of contact for the client, Line of Business, and all supporting areas including Credit, Legal, and Operations.
• Improve the client experience upon entering a banking relationship by making the onboarding process more efficient, seamless, and transparent.
• Oversee the client onboarding process from initiation through account opening completion, ensuring appropriate information sharing, priority placement, and collaboration across all partner groups.
• Provide guidance to Line of Business and support areas for resolving client and regulatory onboarding issues and challenges.
• Ensure all clients are fully set up to trade in compliance with regulatory and internal requirements.
• Assist Line of Business and clients with regulatory adherence processes, including Dodd-Frank, EMIR, FATCA, Canadian Trade Reporting, and FINRA requirements.
• Contribute to weekly and monthly client status reporting and provide internal teams with new client notifications to ensure seamless hand-offs.
• Assist with technology implementation to streamline the front-to-back onboarding process.

Experience & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, International Business, Operations, or Business Law.
• 3+ years of experience in financial services in an Operations, Trading Support, or Sales role.
• Knowledge of trading products across Capital Markets.
• Familiarity with FATCA, Dodd-Frank, EMIR, Canadian Trade Reporting, and FINRA rules.
• Working knowledge of competitive market trends and industry regulations.
• Proficient in Excel for data management and stakeholder reporting.
• Proven account management, relationship management, conflict resolution, and organizational skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities independently and communicate effectively at all levels of an organization.

Client Onboarding Specialist guides the end-to-end launch of digital media campaigns by validating client needs, scheduling media assets, and coordinating creative proofing to ensure all campaign executions go live on schedule. The work directly supports sales reps, Account Managers, and the Optimization Team by delivering weekly performance reports, maintaining scalable operational processes, and serving as the connective link between clients and internal advertising operations.

Day-to-Day Responsibilities

• Maintain working knowledge of media assets within the sales division and ensure Client Needs Analysis is completed and validated.
• Schedule media assets accurately, enable creative proofing with clients, and collect additional assets required for go-live dates, including social media permissions.
• Troubleshoot campaign deployment issues to ensure all campaign executions are met.
• Provide daily in-market support to sales reps and partner with the Optimization Team to meet client campaign objectives.
• Define and evolve internal operational processes toward a more scalable workflow and provide weekly campaign performance reports to reps and clients.
• Support the digital advertising department by liaising with customers, Account Reps, and Sales Managers, responding to enquiries, and maintaining positive client relationships.
• Analyze and create sales reports, coordinate and monitor sales promotional campaigns, and assist in organizing e-blasts and social media campaigns.

Professional Experience

• Experience in media sales support within a media environment is a definite asset.
• Solid understanding of the digital ad product stack and preferred platforms.
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Knowledge of Salesforce and Google Analytics is an asset.
• Strong written and verbal communication, organizational, time management, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to manage deadlines, adapt to a fast-paced environment, and handle both sales support and administrative responsibilities concurrently.